SCENTS OF CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS IS seen as one of the most magical times of the year – filled with loads of laughter, the sweet aroma of the Christmas cake and other tantalising dishes, with halls decked in Christmas decor and the tree boasting gifts for loved ones. It is simply a time when everyone is typically a little happier. So awesome is the spirit of the Christmas season, it makes you want to just bottle it, so that you can experience it all year round; and that is exactly what Claudine Campbell-Bryan, senior compliance manager at JMMB, did with her ‘Scentre Yourself’ Christmas candle collection. It is no surprise that the self-professed lover of Christmas developed a Christmas-candle collection to capture her love for the season. “This is undoubtedly
my favourite time of year because it is a time of togetherness with family and friends and a time to celebrate the joy of the birth of Jesus Christ. I just love everything about Christmas,” she shared.
The Scentre Yourself Christmas candle collection boasts six distinctive scents – Christmas Tree, Christmas Cookie, Christmas Cake, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Apple Cinnamon, and Christmas Cabin. All the scents are meant to capture various aspects of Christmas and help to create or recreate special moments.
HER INSPIRATION
In sharing more about her inspiration, she said, “I have an artificial Christmas tree, but I absolutely love the smell of a real Christmas tree. With my Christmas Tree candle, I can have the best of both worlds. I figure there may also be other persons like me who, for whatever reason, they do not have a real tree, but would still love to enjoy the smell of the pine needles.” Of course, what would the Christmas season be without your Christmas staples like your Christmas cake, cookies, or for some, a pumpkin pie, hence Scentre Yourself candles also brings these scents to life.
In addition to her Christmas candle collection, Campbell-Bryan’s entire Scentre Yourself candle line offers more than 20 scents, some of which are tailored to reflect the Jamaican culture. Adding, “The scents that I have crafted are done in partnership with an overseas supplier, but I pay keen attention in selecting and blending fragrances to create authentic scents that will appeal to a Jamaican market, using a range of natural and artificial extracts with 100% soybean wax to create my candles.”
Since starting her scented-candle manufacturing and retail business less than five months ago, CampbellBryan said that the response from individuals has been positive. She has also been able to provide customised packages for companies like the Jamaica Stock Exchange and Symptai, an IT consulting company. “My JMMB family has also been very supportive of this new venture and I have got a lot of orders from team members who have bought for themselves or for family and friends,” Campbell-Bryan said. The recent expo, hosted by JMMB to showcase team members’ business ventures, also proved to be a minefield as she was able to score several orders and further share her business with a wider audience.
Campbell-Bryan admits that her ability to balance her demanding full-time job at JMMB and mothering sons – Ethan Luke and Liam-John – while achieving the business success so far, would not been possible without the support and involvement of her husband, Dwight Kenneth. He has been integral in transforming this Godbreathed business idea into reality. Her mother, Patricia Virgo, has also been played a pivotal role as part of her support system.
Scentre Yourself Christmas collection candles can serve as a perfect gift for you or loved ones, with a dash of personalisation to the packaging to add a special message or name. Customisation is also available for other scented candles in the collection, for other special occasions. To make orders for the over 20 scents available from the Scentre Yourself candle collection, contact Claudine Campbell-Bryanvia Instagram @scentre_yourself_candles or email: scentreyourself@gmail.com.